We all know coffee is a stimulant and its stimulating ingredient is caffeine. But the boost people get from other caffeinated drinks doesn’t come close to a cup of coffee. What’s going on? Researchers from the Minho University in Portugal wanted to find … Read More
Smokers getting their lungs screened could be the key to quitting cigarettes
Years ago, I presented a series of BBC TV programmes called Quit Smoking which, over eight weeks, followed a group of people attempting to give up cigarettes. Quitting smoking isn’t easy. I’ve done it myself, but it’s essential if you have … Read More
Breakthrough may improve chances of survival for silent killer
Ovarian cancer, with its low survival rate, is a difficult subject, so new research explaining why some women with the most lethal form of the cancer respond better to treatment than others is welcome. Researchers at Imperial College London found the tumours … Read More
Cutting back on your daily calories could help reduce gum disease, says scientists
Animals’ lives can be prolonged if their calories are restricted, and we also know that eating less is good for all kinds of reasons for us too. In fact, if we did the same with our calories, it could even reverse a … Read More
It’s about time we rethought what causes early menopause
Menopause occurs at an average age of 51. Then there’s early menopause which can occur anytime in your 40s, and very early menopause before the age of 40 due to the ovaries failing. It’s called premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), it affects one … Read More
Early childhood reading brings ‘lifelong rewards’ and is tied to better mental health
A baby is never too young to be introduced to books, be it in the cot, a waterproof one in the bath, or a buggy book on trips out. But learning to read as a child is quite a feat … Read More
Artificial intelligence is being used in the battle against ageing
We are so keen to find the elixir of life that I suspect we’ll go on looking well into the future for drugs that stave off the effects of ageing. Edinburgh University researchers are the latest scientists to come up with age-defying … Read More
Student develops penis simulator which has become a key training aid for surgeons
Here’s a difficult one. If you’re a surgeon who’s called upon to perform surgery on a penis, where and on whom do you get your training? The answer is you don’t. The somewhat unpleasant truth is you practise on cadavers. … Read More
British team pioneers AI tool to help detect breast cancer
When it comes to detecting small, early breast cancers, mammography is good – but could it be better? Would AI help? Could it detect tumours that might have been missed using current screening methods? Turns out it could. We know … Read More
Short daily naps boost your brain and may slash risk of “silent killer” disease
Naps can do us the world of good, and give us the second wind we need. But daytime napping could also come with an added bonus: preserving brain health by slowing the rate at which brains shrink as we age. … Read More